Rayhaneh Jabbari and Iran Executions: 'More than 2 People Killed Every Day'

An Iranian flag flutters in front of the UN headquarters in Vienna.Reuters

Rayhaneh Jabbari, the 26-year-old woman charged with the murder of a man who allegedly attempted to rape her, was due to be executed today, (Tuesday, 30 September). However, Iran has postponed her execution, without giving further details on the new date.

Jabbari was arrested in 2007, after she had killed a member of the Iranian Intelligence Services, Morteza Abdolali Sarbandi, which she says was in self-defence of attempted rape. Her case has sparked worldwide outrage, with nearly 190,000 people signing a petition to save the woman's life.

Mohsen Amir-Aslani, 37, was arrested nine years ago after being accused of activities which authorities considered as heretical. Amir-Aslani, who worked as psychotherapist and also delivered speeches about the Koran, was accused of making "innovations in the religion" and "spreading corruption on earth".

Human rights activists reacted with outrage to Amir-Aslan's death, saying he was a prisoner of conscience killed for his religious beliefs.

Maya Foa, who heads the death penalty team of Reprieve, a UK- based NGO which provides legal support to prisoners worldwide, told IBTimes UK: "These executions are a worrying reminder of the prevalence of capital punishment in Iran – huge numbers are executed every year for 'crimes' such as apostasy and adultery, while up to 80% of death sentences are given for non-lethal drug offences.

"The UN and EU countries need to be unequivocal in their stance against the death penalty – and that includes ending the anti-narcotics funding that so often leads to executions."

Razieh Ebrahimi, who was married off at the age of 14 and became a mother when she was 15, admitted to killing her husband and burying his body in the back garden of the house.

Iran's penal code says minors can be subjected to a death sentence after they have reached puberty which, as stipulated by Sharia law and as specified in the 1991 Civil Code, is 15 lunar years for boys and 9 lunar years for girls (one lunar year can be between 354 to 365 days long).

"In early 2013, new amendments to the penal code went into effect, strictly prohibiting the execution of child offenders for certain categories of crimes, including drug-related offenses," HRW said. "No such prohibition exists, however, for children convicted of murder and a host of other crimes including adultery and sodomy.

"Under article 91 of the amended code, a judge may sentence a boy who is 15 or older or a girl who is 9 or older to death for these crimes if he determines that the child understood the nature and consequences of the crime."